Running Through Fog I’m still enjoying Natalie Goldberg’s “Writing Down the Bones”. The chapters are beautifully short and each one makes its point succinctly and entertainingly. In the chapter entitled, “The Ordinary and Extraordinary”, she writes,”We are all interwoven and create each other’s universes”.
On the face of it that sentence might seem a little bland or ’airy fairy’, but it rings true to me. When we run we express ourselves positively and in the process of running we help to shape or define the world around us. The impact of our actions extend even further out into the world and can help to define the universe as other will experience it.
So far, so theoretical. How could this actually work in practice? The way I look at it is that when we run with a positive attitude, we provide an example to others of how they might improve their lives. Some runners take the process another step forward by reaching out in creative ways to engage more closely with others using running as a common language. A perfect example of this process in action is a running club, where groups of people come together to share and promote the joy of running in company. There are other examples, and one of the best one I’ve seen in a long while is the Irish 100 Marathon Club. This recently established group mirrors similar associations in other countries and encourages multiple-marathoners in their quest to conquer the classic distance a ton of times. These people are creating each other’s universes in a positive and practical way. As soon as I can get my arse in gear I’ll be joining up.
On a connected note, I’ve also been reading Malcolm Anderson’s latest book, “The Messengers”, which is about runners who have completed one-hundred or more marathon races. I was taken aback when I read that he reckons that more people have been to the summit of Mt Everest than have run 100 marathons. If you were looking for a goor running related read I’d highly recommend the book. It can be ordered from https://www.experiencebooks.ca/.
On the face of it that sentence might seem a little bland or ’airy fairy’, but it rings true to me. When we run we express ourselves positively and in the process of running we help to shape or define the world around us. The impact of our actions extend even further out into the world and can help to define the universe as other will experience it.
So far, so theoretical. How could this actually work in practice? The way I look at it is that when we run with a positive attitude, we provide an example to others of how they might improve their lives. Some runners take the process another step forward by reaching out in creative ways to engage more closely with others using running as a common language. A perfect example of this process in action is a running club, where groups of people come together to share and promote the joy of running in company. There are other examples, and one of the best one I’ve seen in a long while is the Irish 100 Marathon Club. This recently established group mirrors similar associations in other countries and encourages multiple-marathoners in their quest to conquer the classic distance a ton of times. These people are creating each other’s universes in a positive and practical way. As soon as I can get my arse in gear I’ll be joining up.
On a connected note, I’ve also been reading Malcolm Anderson’s latest book, “The Messengers”, which is about runners who have completed one-hundred or more marathon races. I was taken aback when I read that he reckons that more people have been to the summit of Mt Everest than have run 100 marathons. If you were looking for a goor running related read I’d highly recommend the book. It can be ordered from https://www.experiencebooks.ca/.
